Metropolis is a word of Greek origin that is a combination of the words meter and polis, while the former means mother, the latter means city; hence the mother city. In today’s world, metropolises or metropolitan cities are the cities, where there is dense population, and which comprises a center and surrounding large residential areas.

In developed countries, these surrounding areas are commonly suburbs that are basically a getaway for middle and high class people from the city center or downtown areas; whereas in developing countries, these surrounding areas are commonly for low-class people, similar to the ghettos of the old metropolises in Europe. In the case of underdeveloped countries, it is difficult to name a metropolis of either type. Metropolitan cities are almost always considered as the economic and commercial centers of their region, if not the country. In many cases, they also act as the cultural and administrative center of their region, again if not the country.

What is considered as the equivalent of Metropolitan City in Turkey?

In Turkey, the definiton for the metropolitan cities based on the law of municipilaties are cities, those have closely located at least three counties or first degree municipilaties that have either equal or more than fifty thousand people. And as of 2017, there are 30 such cities in Turkey and they do actually fit the real definition of the metropolises, since when considered one by one, they really are the centers of their surrounding region.

Metropolitan Cities of Turkey

1) Istanbul

The biggest metropolitan city of Turkey by far is Istanbul, which is also one of the three cities that are considered as metropolitan cities by world standards, whereas the other two are Ankara and Izmir. Istanbul has a population of 14.804.116 in 2017 and is the economic, commercial, cultural center of both Turkey and the Marmara region, basically it is the center of Turkey in almost anything but admnistration.

2) Ankara

The second biggest city, as well as the one of the three metropolitan cities of Turkey by world standards is Ankara, which is the capital and the administrative center of Turkey and the economic, commercial, cultural center of Central Anatolian region. Ankara has a population of 5.346.518 in 2017.

3) Izmir

The third biggest city, as well as the one of the three metropolitan cities of Turkey by world standards is Izmir, which is the economic, commercial, cultural center of Aegean region. İzmir has a population of 4.223.545 in 2017.

4) Bursa

The fourth biggest city, as well as the one of the fastest developing cities in Turkey is Bursa, which is a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the south Marmara region. Bursa has a population of 2.901.396 in 2017.

5) Antalya

The fifth biggest city, as well as the one of the two most renowned places in Turkey is Antalya. It is the center of beach tourism of Turkey and is one of the two most visited touristic sites in Turkey to go along with the cultural center, Istanbul. It is also a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the Western Mediterranean region. Antalya has a population of 2.328.555 in 2017.

6) Adana

The sixth biggest city in Turkey is Adana. Adana is a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the Eastern Mediterranean region and has a population of 2.201.670 in 2017.

7) Konya

The seventh biggest city in Turkey is Konya. Konya is the largest province in Turkey and is a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the south of Central Anatolian region. Konya has a population of 2.161.303 in 2017.

8) Gaziantep

The eighth biggest city in Turkey is Gaziantep. Gaziantep is a border city at the border with Syria and is the economic, commercial, cultural center of Southeastern Anatolian region and has a population of 1.974.244 in 2017.

9) Sanlıurfa

The ninth biggest city in Turkey is Sanlıurfa. Sanlıurfa is a border city at the border with Syria and is a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the Southeastern Anatolian region. Sanlıurfa has a population of 1.940.627 in 2017.

10) Kocaeli

The tenth biggest city in Turkey is Kocaeli. Kocaeli is bordered with Istanbul and in most ways, it is an extension of the Anatolian part of Istanbul. It is a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the Eastern Marmara region. Kocaeli has a population of 1.830.772 in 2017.

11) Mersin

The eleventh biggest city in Turkey is Mersin. Mersin is a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the Eastern Mediterranean region, bordering Antalya on the west and Adana on the east. Mersin has a population of 1.773.852 in 2017.

12) Diyarbakır

The twelfth biggest city in Turkey is Diyarbakır. Diyarbakır is a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the East of Southeastern Anatolian region. Diyarbakır has a population of 1.673.119 in 2017.

13) Hatay

The thirteenth biggest city in Turkey is Hatay. Hatay lies at the southernmost tip of Turkey at the border with Syria. It is bordered with two other metropolitan cities that are Gaziantep on the east and Adana on the north. Hatay is a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the Eastern Mediterranean region and has a population of 1.555.165 in 2017.

14) Manisa

The fourteenth biggest city in Turkey is Manisa. Manisa is bordered with another metropolitan city that is İzmir on the west and is a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the Aegean region. Manisa has a population of 1.396.945 in 2017.

15) Kayseri

The fifteenth biggest city in Turkey is Kayseri. Kayseri is a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the East of the Central Anatolian region and has a population of 1.358.980 in 2017.

16) Samsun

The sixteenth biggest city in Turkey is Samsun, which is the economic, commercial, cultural center in the Black Sea region and especially in the Middle Black Sea region. Samsun has a population of 1.295.927 in 2017.

17) Balıkesir

The seventeenth biggest city in Turkey is Balıkesir, which lies between two other metropolitan cities that are Bursa on the east and Izmir on the south. Balikesir is a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the southwestern Marmara region and has a population of 1.196.176 in 2017.

18) Kahramanmaras

The eighteenth biggest city in Turkey is Kahramanmaras, which lies between four other metropolitan cities on four different geographical regions that is Adana on the west, Gaziantep on the south, Kayseri on the north, and Malatya on the east. As a city of four different climates, the metropolitan city center itself lies in the Mediterranean region and is a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the said region. Kahramanmaras has a population of 1.112.634 in 2017.

19) Van

The nineteenth biggest city in Turkey is Van. Van is a border city at the border with Iran and is a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the Eastern Anatolian region and especially at the east part of the said region. Van has a population of 1.100.190 in 2017.

20) Aydın

The twentieth biggest city in Turkey is Aydin. Aydin is a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the south Aegean region bordering with Izmir on the north. Aydın has a population of 1.068.260 in 2017.

21) Denizli

The twentyfirst biggest city in Turkey is Denizli. Denizli is a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the inner Aegean region and has a population of 1.005.687 in 2017.

22) Sakarya

The twentysecond biggest city in Turkey is Sakarya. Sakarya lies at the easternmost part of Marmara region and is bordered with Kocaeli on the west. As Kocaeli seems like and extension of Istanbul in most ways, Sakarya is also like an extension of Kocaeli in most ways and is a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the Eastern Marmara region. Sakarya has a population of 976.948 in 2017.

23) Tekirdag

The twentythird biggest city in Turkey is Tekirdag. Tekirdag is located in Thracian peninsula and is the economic, commercial, cultural center of the Thrace. It is also a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the Northwestern Marmara region. Tekirdag has a population of 972.875 in 2017.

24) Mugla

The twentyfourth biggest city in Turkey is Mugla. Mugla is bordered with Antalya on the east and it is also second to Antalya in beach tourism of Turkey. As Antalya is the most renowned city for the said type of tourism for foreign tourists, Mugla is the most renowned city for the said type of tourism for domestic tourists. Mugla is also a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the southernmost Aegean region and has a population of 923.773 in 2017.

25) Eskisehir

The twentyfifth biggest city in Turkey is Eskisehir. Mugla is bordered with Ankara on the east and Bursa on the west. Known as the city of large public universities, Eskisehir is a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the northwestern Central Anatolian region and has a population of 844.842 in 2017.

26) Mardin

The twentysixth biggest city in Turkey is Mardin. Mardin has a border with Syria and is also the closest metropolitan city to Iraq. Bordered with Diyarbakır on the north, Mardin is a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the east of the Southeastern Anatolian region and has a population of 796.237 in 2017.

27) Malatya

The twentyseventh biggest city in Turkey is Malatya. Malatya is the biggest city in the East Anatolian region and is also the economic, commercial, cultural center in the southwestern tip of East Anatolian region. Malatya has a population of 781.305 in 2017.

28) Trabzon

The twentyeighth biggest city in Turkey is Trabzon. Trabzon is the second biggest in the Black Sea region after Samsun and is the economic, commercial, cultural center in the eastern Black Sea region. Trabzon has a population of 779.379 in 2017.

29) Erzurum

The twentyninth biggest city in Turkey is Erzurum. Erzurum is the second biggest in the East Anatolia region after Malatya and is also the economic, commercial, cultural center in the north of the East Anatolia region. Erzurum has a population of 762.021 in 2017.

30) Ordu

The thirtieth biggest city in Turkey is Ordu. Ordu is a significant economic, commercial, cultural center in the eastern Black Sea region. Ordu has a population of 750.588 in 2017.